FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason track and field head coach
Andrew Gerard has announced that
Michelle Wallerstedt will join his staff as an assistant coach.
Wallerstedt, who competed for the Patriots from 2012-17, returns to her alma mater to coach Mason's throws group.
"We're thrilled to have Michelle rejoining the program," said Gerard. "She represented Mason on the highest stage when she was here, was a tremendous leader within our program and the department and helped build our throwing program into what it is today. In a relatively short time, she has gone on to accumulate some very solid credentials as a young coach. I'm confident she will help us continue to build the throwing events into one of the pillars our program is built on. We are extremely happy to bring her back to Patriot Circle on the coaching side of the equation."
Wallerstedt recently served as a volunteer assistant throws coach at Calvert Hall High School in 2021.
Prior to that, she was a volunteer assistant throws coach at Weber State University from 2018-20, serving alongside Robert Weir. She helped coach Nathan Dunivan to gold medals in the discus and hammer throw at the Big Sky Championships and a 10th-place finish in the discus at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
"For years, Mason was a second family to me," said Wallerstedt. "I'm happy to be back with that family – to give back to a program that gave so much to me."
She began her coaching career back in 2012, serving as an assistant throws coach for five years at the Cornhusker Flyers Track Club – a youth track and field program that participates in USATF sanctioned meets.
In her five-year career at Mason, Wallerstedt earned NCAA Second Team All-America honors after placing 15th in the discus at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She was a two-time Atlantic 10 champion in the discus and a four-year outdoor ECAC qualifier. She still holds the school record in the discus (55.16m).
In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Wallerstedt was a semifinalist for 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award. She was named Academic All-America three times and served as president of the Student Athlete Advisory Council. She was awarded the Sue Collins Leadership Award for Women in Sport her senior year.
Wallerstedt also works at Mason as an IRB Compliance Specialist.
